


Teaching the Bully a Lesson

by SummerRoses



Series: Malec Family One-Shots [2]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Bullying, Daddy Alec teaches a lesson, Kid Max, M/M, No one messes with their kids, Protective Alec Lightwood, bamf Magnus, so does Papa Magnus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-28
Updated: 2017-08-28
Packaged: 2018-12-20 23:28:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11931588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SummerRoses/pseuds/SummerRoses
Summary: Alec recognizes that there is something wrong with Max, and when he discovers that he's being bullied, just what will Daddy Alec and Papa Magnus do about it?





	Teaching the Bully a Lesson

Alec knew something was wrong as soon as he saw Max. It was a dad’s duty to know when something was wrong with his kid and even though it was clear that his son tried very hard to pretend everything was okay, Alec saw through the lying smiles and over-the-top joyful words. Max hadn’t minded going to the academy while his Papa worked, but today was different. He asked when they were going home as he forced himself to smile.

The first thing he noticed was Max’s eyes, a shade of blue that almost matched Alec’s own, usually full of childlike innocence now filled with sorrow and pain. His mouth twisted, just a fraction, into a grimace, like something hurt every time he took a step. And then there was the fearful glance he’d send toward the door every time someone entered.

So, Alec acted on instincts. He grabbed Max and sat him down on one of the sofas. He sent him his protective daddy stare and crossed his arms. “What happened, Max?”

Max cocked his head, his smile dropping only slightly. “I was just wondering when we were going home, Daddy.”

Alec sighed. “Don’t lie to me. What happened?”

His son hesitated and once again glanced at the door. This time, no one opened it. Magnus was still teaching a class and they had at least another hour before they could return to their apartment. Then it’d take another two hours before they’d come back through a portal to collect Rafael.

“Did someone hurt you?” Alec felt the tension tighten in his body. He swore when Max was just a baby that if anyone hurt him, they’d pay in blood.

Max bit his lip and nodded, his eyes growing teary. He threw himself at Alec, his head against his dad’s chest. “He was so mean to me.”

Alec had to exhale loudly so he wouldn’t go storming through the academy, demanding to know who had hurt his son. “What did he do?”

Max sobbed against Alec’s chest, burying himself deeper into the safety of his dad’s arms. “He said I was ugly. And disgusting. A blue piece of scum Downworlder. Then he pushed me to the ground. I hurt my arm.”

“Oh Max.” Alec gripped his son tighter and dragged him off the sofa so he was sitting on Alec’s lap. He kissed Max lightly on the forehead and petted his dark hair. “Who was it?”

All the rage inside of him coiled in his stomach like a snake ready to strike. He didn’t even care that this bully was probably a kid. He’d take it up with his parents if he had to. But no one got away with hurting his son.

Max shrugged against Alec and kept his face buried against his chest.

“Max, tell me who it was.” He was proud of himself that he sounded so calm when he was far from it.

His son said something into his shirt, but Alec didn’t hear it. He tugged Max back so his big, watery eyes stared into Alec’s. “Say that again.”

“Monty Townsend.”

Monty Townsend. An arrogant eleven-year-old who was already too big for his shoes. Alec knew him well, and he knew his parents more. They were a family of bullies who believed Downworlders and Mundanes were less than them.

Alec wouldn’t have a problem dealing with them. He gently rested Max back on the sofa and smiled at him. “Stay here, okay? Daddy is going to deal with him.”

“No, Daddy, you can’t!” Max’s eyes widened and he shook his head furiously. “He’ll tease me more if you talk to him.”

If Alec had anything to say about it, Monty Townsend would never go near Max again. “I promise you that Monty will never trouble you, okay? Do you trust me?”

Max nodded, if not a little hesitantly. 

“Good boy.” He ran a hand over Max’s head in comfort. “I’ll be back very soon.”

Alec stood and barely made it across the floor of the room before he heard Magnus behind him, calling his name. Alec was tempted to ignore his husband, if only to get to Monty before Magnus convinced him otherwise. Magnus was the kind of parent who believed in resolution, not reaction, and while they hadn’t had a situation of bullying before, Alec suspected Magnus would rather talk to Monty’s parents before bullying the kid back until he left Max alone.

Alec smiled at Magnus.

“Where are you going, Alexander? What happened to Max?” Magnus glanced back at Max, who was still on the sofa, eyes wet and wide.

“Why are you out of class?” It was Alec’s attempt at distraction, but Magnus knew him too well.

Magnus raised an eyebrow. He tapped Alec’s shoulder. Today, he chose a bright red nail polish imbedded with glitter. It suited him. “Where are you going and what’s wrong with Max? Don’t distract me.” He grinned at Alec. “And yes, I let my class out early. Their teacher wanted to have some private time with his husband.” He winked for good measure.

Alec sighed. There was no avoiding this. “Max was bullied by a kid who needs to learn his place. The kid pushed him over.”

Magnus glanced at Max in surprise, before his glamoured eyes returned to Alec. “Who was it?”

“Monty Townsend.”

Magnus nodded. “Then we have no choice but to talk to his parents. Come on.”

“Magnus…”

His husband shook his finger at him. “We’re doing this the right way, Alexander. Not everything can be sorted out by violence.”

Alec frowned, but followed Magnus dutifully.

♦♠♦

Monty Townsend’s parents were douchebags. That was the only word for them. They stared down at Magnus as though he was a pile a dirt beneath their shoes and Alec wanted to lash out. The only thing that stopped him was Magnus’s hand wrapped around his upper arm. But Magnus was effected by the couple too. His jaw was tight, even if he forced a smile on his pretty lips.

“Excuse me? I don’t think I heard you correctly,” Magnus said sweetly.

“I didn’t realize warlocks were hard of hearing.” Tania Townsend smirked at him. “I said that my son has nothing to apologize for. Downworlders don’t belong here. This is an academy for Shadowhunters and the fact that you bring your runt dishonors this institution.”

Monty stood beside his parents, a similar smirk on his own face. Alec didn’t even care that he was just a kid at that moment, he wanted Magnus to throw him and his parents through a portal to Angel knew where. Anywhere, really. He certainly didn’t belong at the academy.

Magnus chuckled, but Alec’s trained ear could hear the disgust and malice in it. “See, that’s the problem with us Downworlders, we _aren’t_ good at hearing, especially prejudices from low-wrung, poorly educated Shadowhunters who have nothing to offer the world.” 

Magic crackled at Magnus’s fingers and it tingled Alec’s arm. “Now, we have three choices here.” He held up a finger. “One, your son can apologize to mine and never talk to him again.” A second finger joined the first. “Two, I can let my husband, former Head of the New York Institute, teach you a lesson in humanity by taking you down a few pegs. He’d _really_ love that right now.”

Tania and her husband cast a worried glance toward Alec. He smirked and nodded. Yes, yes, he would really love that.

A third finger joined his other two. “Or three, I can turn your putrid little spawn into the toad he is and leave him on a Mundane road and we’ll all place bets on whether he can cross to the other side safely or not.”

“You wouldn’t,” Tania gasped.

Magnus smiled again, this time it was far from sweet. It only offered a promise. “Try me, Shadowhunter.”

Alec had never seen Magnus this fired up before. There had been times when Magnus had been angry, full of rage that sent his magic out of control, but never with this calm fury that made him glow. If they had been in private, Alec may have kissed him hard and needily right then and there because it was hot. So damned hot.

Tania slapped her son on the back. “You will apologize to Mr. Bane, Monty.”

“But Mom—”

“I said to apologize!”

Monty crossed his arms and glared at them. “I’m sorry, Mr. Bane.”

Magnus flicked his wrist. “It’s Mr. Lightwood-Bane, actually. And it’s not me who you’ll apologize to. Come, you and I and my husband here will visit my son, Max, who you’ll ask for forgiveness from.”

“Mr. Bane—” Tania was cut off by Alec.

“All your son has to do is apologize to Max, Tania, and then leave him alone from now on. Simple.” Alec stepped forward so he could whisper to her. “Because if he doesn’t, me and my _warlock_ husband will make you regret it, am I clear?”

She inhaled sharply, but nodded. He could tell she definitely understood.

♦♠♦

Monty did end up apologizing to Max and Max, the tough young boy that he was, nodded and told Monty he was forgiven. Then he smiled and asked Monty if he wanted to play. But most times a child was the consequences of the environment he grew up in, so it wasn’t a surprise to Alec that Monty refused and scurried off. It didn’t seem to bother Max though.

That night, Rafael had been furious. He’d threatened to give Monty a taste of his own medicine because, according to Rafael, he needed to pick on someone his own size. After they’d calmed him down and put Max and Rafe to bed, Magnus and Alec cuddled on the couch.

“Would you really have hurt a child, my darling?” Magnus asked, his lips grazing over Alec’s jaw.

“Of course not. Can’t say the same for his parents though.” Alec threw his head back and moaned when Magnus’s teeth latched onto his collarbone, tugging at the skin.

“Mhm. Prejudice is everywhere, Alexander.”

“Just because it’s everywhere, doesn’t mean we can’t aim to stop it. No one gets to hurt either of my sons or my husband.”

Magnus pulled back to stare at him and smiled. “And that’s what I love about you. You’re protectiveness of your family.”

Alec cupped his jaw. “Did I tell you that you were hot today? The way you handled Tania and her useless husband?”

Magnus lowered his eyelashes seductively. He didn’t wear any makeup tonight, which was ordinary when they were home with the kids. Alec loved Magnus like this. This was the real Magnus, the one that wasn’t hidden behind layers of foundation. He loved the makeup too, but he treasured a bare Magnus even more.

“Did I make you hot and bothered?” Magnus whispered, his hand creeping downward until it rested on Alec’s hipbone.

Alec’s lips curved. “All I wanted was for you to take me, right there and then.”

“Well that would have been inappropriate.” Magnus smirked. “I didn’t know you were such a bad boy, Alexander.”

Alec snickered and licked the shell of Magnus’s ear. He whispered, “How about we go to bed and I can show you how much of a bad boy I am?”

“ _Oh_ , Alexander.”


End file.
